Monday, 7 July 2008

NLD learns of more arrests of activists

Jul 4, 2008 (DVB)–National League for Democracy members have said the number of activists detained by authorities on Daw Aung San Suu Kyi’s birthday was more than the 14 previously reported.An organising member of the NLD youth wing said about 25 people were feared to have been arrested on 19 June.

"We were informed that some other party members are missing by their families; so far we have managed to confirm that two of our members in South Okkalapa township and a youth coordinator are missing,” he said.

“We haven't got all the details yet – but we assume these people were arrested on the same day on their way back home."

The NLD youth member said there had been an increase in government harassment of NLD members since after the 19 June incident in which NLD members and supporters were beaten and arrested as they celebrated Daw Aung San Suu Kyi’s birthday.

"The government special police branch and local authorities have been directly and indirectly harassing NLD youth members," he said.

"Some party members were forced to leave their houses as the authorities pressured their landlords to kick them out, while others lost their jobs due to similar pressure on their employers."

NLD information officer U Nyan Win criticised the actions of the local authorities.

"This is a deliberate act of discrimination against NLD members. These people and their families did not break any laws," Nyan Win said.